Relocation of Staff

Relocation of Staff to Other Sites or Schools/Departments Within the University

Whilst every effort will be made by the University to maintain the initial location of the employment of an employee within the University, it may be necessary because of restructuring strategies to change the location of jobs. Nothing in this agreement overrides or negates individual contract terms regarding location or mobility.

If job changes, involving relocation, are planned within a School or Department, there will be a process of consultation with all of the employees concerned, and the relevant staff representatives and/or trade union representatives who must be employees of the University, at the earliest opportunity.

Consultation with staff

All employees who may be affected by restructuring involving relocation will be made aware of, and consulted about, long-term changes in organisation within their individual Schools or Departments at the earliest opportunity following management decisions which may affect their jobs. They will have the right to representation by the relevant staff representatives and/or trade union representatives who must be employees of the University. Individuals will have a right to further consultation about their future employment as soon after the decisions on initial strategies have been announced.

In discussing the strategy of relocation every effort will be made to achieve relocations which are agreed by, and with no detriment to, the employees concerned. Alternative arrangements, where available, will be considered fully before a final decision is made. Where applicable, the University will provide suitable training to enable an affected employee to take up an alternative post.

The personal circumstances of an employee will be considered by consultation with a member of the Human Resources Department and/or the relevant Head of School/Department before a final decision is made on their relocation within the original School/Department. Employees will have the right to be represented by an accredited representative of a recognised trade union or professional organisation, or by a friend or colleague who must be an employee of the University.

Where relocation is not considered a suitable option for the employee, then redeployment of the employee to suitable alternative employment will be considered as a first option for continued employment within the University. The employee will be provided with details of available vacancies, and will be interviewed in competition for a vacancy if they so request and meet the selection criteria for the post. The employee will be given a trial period of three months at the end of which should the position be unsatisfactory the matter will be dealt with as in 6.

In considering organisational changes, forward planning mechanisms will be instituted to ensure that no appointment to a vacancy in any relevant unit will be made where there is a possibility that the vacancy can be filled by possible redeployment.

Further discussions will follow if a suitable alternative job cannot be found. In this case, the University will consider the individual under the terms of the University's Severance Scheme.

Post relocation of the employee

For holders of posts whether permanent or fixed-term within the University, the only change in the Terms and Conditions of Employment will be the location. Salary and grade, as applicable, will remain unaltered, except where additional responsibilities change the post. In this case, the post will be submitted for re-grading through the normal channels of the University.

Training and retraining needs of the post will be reviewed and a training programme initiated immediately, where necessary. Progress will be reviewed regularly and training needs addressed.

Alternative travel arrangements will be discussed, should the post require a change in distance to work/travel from home. Where possible, use of University travel facilities, if applicable, will be considered.

Where the existing travel distance to work is to be considerably increased because of relocation to another site, flexibility about start and finish times of work should be examined.

Routine medical and dental appointments should be made out of normal work hours. In emergency medical and dental situations, extra travelling time to and from work should be given due consideration by the manager.

A travel allowance for the additional home to work mileage concerned will be made for a period of two years from the start of relocation under the terms of the University policy that the University will review on a regular basis.

Where an individual is relocated under the terms of this policy, the University's rule that employees are required to live within 20 miles of the University unless consent is obtained will not be applied so as to require that individual to move house.